Strategia International is pleased to invite you to the Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) Workshop designed for staff of international NGOs, UN agencies, government institutions, and civilian professionals working in fragile or volatile contexts.

About the Training

The HEAT course is an advanced, scenario-based safety training program that equips participants with the practical skills and mindset required to operate safely and effectively in hostile and unpredictable environments.

Led by culturally sensitive, field-experienced facilitators, this intensive program combines classroom instruction, live simulations, and field-based role-play to improve situational judgment, safety procedures, and psychological readiness.

Course Objectives

• Strengthen understanding of proactive security and safety measures before, during, and after deployment.
• Build confidence in decision-making during high-stress, life-threatening situations.
• Enhance psychological resilience, with a focus on PTSD, moral injury, and psychological first aid.
• Equip participants to manage incidents including ambushes, IEDs, hostage situations, and checkpoints.
• Improve field first aid, life-saving response, and firefighting skills.

Course Outline:

• Security & Situational Awareness
• Field Security Planning & Risk Assessment
• Gender-Specific Risk Considerations
• Personal Risk Profile & Communication in the Field (Radio/Satellite)
• Hostage Survival & Aggression Management
• Medical Life-Saving in Remote Areas
• Checkpoints, Roadblocks, Carjacking, Ambush & Active Shooter Scenarios
• Ammunition & Weapon Awareness
• Psychological First Aid & Stress Management
• Full-Scale Field Simulations